This year its different. Walmart is hoarding them - creating an artificial shortage and long lines at the roaster. The entrepreneurs are jacking up the prices, I mean $30 a box, plus $7 to roast them?

Whats a guy to do? I have family orders for 5 boxes.

Someone answering his own chili roasting question . . . One never knows how these threads will evolve. I mean first it's odd-shaped fruit and NOW petunias. How did that happen? Oh yeah, that was me . . .

digitS'

Our 1st picking of jalapeño occurred this week. Super Chilies are something some folks just raise for lookin" but the fact that they ripen in August has real appeal for me. The Thai hot are in that group also but just mentioning them . . . gracious!! And, once again I'm growing Garden Salsa. Probably a little tame for some but I think they are just about the most productive peppers I grow. Strangely (to me, at least), that's why I don't grow them every year - - after drying a few strings (whaddya call 'em in your neck of the woods, ristas?), DW doesn't know what to do with so many over the course of several years! Oh, and then there are the Anaheims. Maybe those Anaheims would be good roasted? They never get beyond green for us.

digitS'

Tame is what I grow. Yes, I'm a wimp. I only planted 4 pepper plants this year. Gypsies are as mild and sweet as Bells. but do better for me than bells. I've already had ripe ones. They are so pretty!

My Anaheims are green right now, but they always get red if I leave them on. They are the "hottest" I've got this year. What a wimp. We don't roast them - just eat them raw.

...But there are lots of roasted hatch chilis we bought in the freezer from last year. Those belong to the spouse.

New Mexico, this time of year, is so much fun - it goes beyond a 'cultural thing' to a religion. Chili festivals in every town, lots of guys standing around 'sampling' with fresh corn tortillas, and so on.

An idea of what it's like:

So, some time next week, I'll build a mesquite fire in the smoker, and spend a pleasant afternoon sipping beverages and roasting chili.

Discovered Giant Marconi several seasons ago. I'd grown a few of the Italian peppers thru the years but wasn't especially delighted. GM isn't my most productive sweet pepper that's for sure - actually grow the straight Marconi so as to have more Italians. And, it is just about as homely as it can be but GM is probably the sweetest and most flavorful I could hope for! It will ripen for me, too, but we are enjoying 'em green right now.

Looking at one of those mailorder chili sites, it seems like the Anaheims would fit right in with the roasting business, Cnetter. Gosh, I have ZERO experience with this sort of thing. Why the heck did my father, who grew up in NM, continue to head north throughout my childhood. Married the daughter of a Canadian so that makes me what, eh? Going to have some malt vinegar on the fries, eh? Do you need a serviette with that?

d'S'

Spouse just told me he's roasted some of my Anaheims in the past and they turned out good.

Gypsies are way way better red than green. At least let them get yellow.

I'm going to try Giant Marconi next year.

I thought it was a bit early for chili roasting. I haven't seen the big roasting cages out yet nor smelled the roasting peppers. They do it all over town here.

That's mighty strange sounding, David . . . pepper kraut with a Kefir starter! Where in heavens did you get that recipe? Is that an East African thing to do?

And, a Foley's food mill . . . I betcha no one under the age of 50 even knows what that contraption is!

I was fairly recently surprised to learn that not ALL kimchi is made solely from Chinese cabbage, garlic, and hot peppers. There seems to be a whole "raft" of vegetables that the Koreans will put into it. It's just that MY experience is limited, not their imagination nor tastes.

digitS'

I have Canadian neighbours across the street. They're from Edmonton. Moved to Utah for our tropical climate! They're the funnest people in the whole neighborhood. Good gardeners, too.

I LOVE vinegar on fries, by the way. :-)

No, not the Italians red ripe that I brought out from hanging in the kitchen - those sweet beauties will be used in tamer recipes. The little guys, mostly green at the moment, are real the real fireworks! They are Super Chilies and, believe it or not, they aren't as hot as the tiny Thai peppers that I grow just a few of. I read that Super Chilies go between 35,000 and 40,000 in Scoville units. That puts them in there with Cayenne.

On my way to wash my digitS'

I'm not sure where you live but if you happen to be on Hiway 85, just north of Evans, in Denver, there is a yellow semi trailer parked there every year at chile time. If you go in there, they will roast a bushel for cheap. The last time I bought jalapenos there, it cost me $20 / bush, and $5 to roast.

They are owned by Rocky Mountain Fireworks (go figure) and they have a lot more than just japs and green chiles.

Just my 2 cents worth...

--->Rob

No, I'm 25 miles crowfly from NM, and within the HACGA zone, (Hippy Artesian Chili Growers Association) realm of influence.

Snorkin' it down by the pint, here, with roasted pork, as we speak.

This past year, the Walmart roaster-people were getting a bit full of themselves, requiring that one show up really early in the morning and wait for hours; taking really, really long lunch breaks and coffee breaks. Soliciting for a bribe tip. So I roasted my own, which is a great excuse to sit outside and in the shade on a beautiful fall day and nibble on hot roasted chili, grated cheese, and a warm tortilla. Quality control. Good stuff.

Seriously, let me know if anyone wants to try it.

If you built it, they will come.

Billie